Brooke’s FIRE Plan: How She’s Investing to Retire at 35

Oct 7, 2025

Brooke shares her inspiring journey to potentially retire at 35 by building wealth from a $50K salary. Discover the concept of a 'FIRE number' and why a conservative drawdown rate is essential for safety. Learn about Barista FIRE, smart investment choices like ETFs, and the importance of automating savings. Brooke emphasizes the power of mindset shifts and shares practical tips to boost savings without sacrificing fun, proving that financial independence can be achieved with strategic planning and a little frugality.

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ANECDOTE

Frugal Routine With Purposeful Splurges

Brooke works from home, cooks midweek and splits chores with her boyfriend to keep living costs low.
She still pays for Pilates as a purposeful mental health expense she won't cut.

ADVICE

Set A Conservative FIRE Number

Work backwards from your desired lifestyle to calculate a FIRE number and choose a conservative drawdown rate.
Brooke targets $2M for a 4% drawdown to fund an $80k annual lifestyle and treats it as a work-optional goal.

INSIGHT

Bridge Investments Needed Before Super

Retiring early requires more conservative drawdown planning because money must last longer before superannuation is accessible.
Early-retirees need non-super 'bridging buckets' to fund years until retirement accounts are available.

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Retiring early is the ultimate dream... so when Brooke casually dropped that she’s on track to do it by 35 (without the Bank of Mum and Dad), you all screamed a collective “HOW?!”

So of course, Victoria had to get her back in the studio to spill everything... and more importantly, share what the rest of us can steal from her strategy without living on two-minute noodles. Turns out, it’s not magic, she started on a $50K salary and built it dollar by dollar with smart habits, steady investing, and a money plan that’s more about options than obsession. Think of this as your crash course in Financial Independence, Retire Early (FIRE) for people who still love a little bit of fun money. Because the real flex isn’t retiring early, it’s having the kind of financial independence that lets you choose what your dream life looks like.

Inside this ep:
📈 What a “FIRE number” actually is (and how to figure out yours)
📈 Why “Barista FIRE” could be the soft-life version of early retirement
📈 Super vs shares: how to choose the smarter move for your future
📈 Mindset shifts that totally changed the game for her
📈 The small money systems Brooke swears by (and how to copy them)
📈 Why even a 1% change in your savings rate can shift your whole future

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Acknowledgement of Country By Nartarsha Bamblett aka Queen Acknowledgements.

The advice shared on She's On The Money is general in nature and does not consider your individual circumstances. She's On The Money exists purely for educational purposes and should not be relied upon to make an investment or financial decision. If you do choose to buy a financial product, read the PDS, TMD and obtain appropriate financial advice tailored towards your needs. Victoria Devine and She's On The Money are authorised representatives of Money Sherpa PTY LTD ABN - 321649 27708, AFSL - 451289.

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